Aengus Ó Snodaigh (Dublin South Central, Sinn Fein)
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Question 390: To ask the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform the value of advertising placed in national newspapers in 2005; the newspapers and the amount received for each of the past five years; and if the placing of official notices and departmental advertisements are subject to a tendering process. [7699/06]

Michael McDowell (Dublin South East, Progressive Democrats)
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I can inform the Deputy that the Government Supplies Agency, GSA, has in place a central drawdown contract for use by Departments in respect of the placement of print media public information notices. I understand that this contract was most recently placed in 2004 for the period 2004 to 2007 following a full public procurement process.

My Department also reimburses the Public Appointments Service in respect of public information notices placed in connection with recruitment competitions organised on our behalf. In certain instances, advertising is also placed directly by my Department where the circumstances warrant it.

The total value of national newspaper public information notices placed in 2005 by or on behalf of my Department was €489,539.45, including all payments under the above GSA contract. This relates to notifications on matters of important public interest and spans the broad range of activities and programmes under way in my Department. It also incorporates the announcement of tender competitions as well as the public appointments referred to above. Information regarding the payments made to each of the newspapers in question for the past five years is not readily available and could not be collated without the allocation of a disproportionate amount of staff time.